In 2009-10, nearly 9.8 million Australians derived income from Wages and salaries. Almost $479 billion - about 81% of all income reported by Australia's taxpayers - was earned from Wages and salaries in 2009-10.While average Wage and salary income for Australia was $48,907, males recorded a higher average of $58,813 compared with $38,255 for females. In addition, younger people (aged 15-34 years) recorded an average Wage and salary income of $37,956, well under the overall national average ($48,907). In occupation terms, Managers recorded the highest average Wage and salary income in 2009-10 ($75,749), followed by Professionals ($66,196) and Technicians and Trades Workers ($51,835).

As the economic well-being of most Australians is largely determined by the amount of income they receive, the analysis of geographical variations in Wages and salaries over time can provide valuable information about relative advantage and disadvantage in regions and the nature of regional economies in general. While not directly covered by the information in this publication, wealth is also recognised as an important contributor to economic well-being; some people on low incomes may have property and business assets to draw on, whilst others on high incomes may also have high levels of debt.

Using the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS), data are provided for a variety of new regions: Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2s); Statistical Area Level 3 (SA3s); Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4s); and Greater Capital City Statistical Area (GCCSAs). Local Government Area (LGA) details are also provided, along with state and territory information.

Wage and salary statistics in this issue are presented for the 2009-10 financial year primarily, although some time series information is available in the data cubes attached to this publication. A new time series of Wage and salary statistics will be released in 2013.

The concept of Wage and salary income can change over time. For the 2009-10 data, Other net foreign employment source income and Reportable fringe benefits (gross value adjusted) have been included (for the first time) in Wage and salary income. These inclusions have had a minor effect on total Wage and salary income - insufficient to call a series break.

This article illustrates ways that Wage and salary data can be used to explore regional variations in income. Further analysis of regional incomes can be undertaken using the data contained in the spreadsheets in the Downloads tab of this release.

The statistics have been compiled using aggregated individual income tax data for postcodes from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has confidentialised and transformed the source data further, to enable release under the new ASGS.

On average, Australians earned $48,907 in Wages and salaries income in 2009-10. Table 1 shows the Australian Capital Territory with the highest average of $57,749, followed by Western Australia ($53,227) and New South Wales ($50,943). The lowest average Wage and salary income levels were recorded by Tasmania ($41,673) and South Australia ($44,141).

Average Wage and salary levels were higher in the Greater Capital City Statistical Areas compared with the rest of each state of territory. This held for all jurisdictions.

The largest percentage of Australia's 9,787,143 Wage and salary earners were found in New South Wales (31.5%), Victoria (24.8%), Queensland (20.2%) and Western Australia (10.8%), reflecting in part the larger populations in those states. Table 1 summarises the key findings for 2009-10:

Table 1. WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS SUMMARY, AUSTRALIA, 2009-10

Region

Wage and salary earnersno. (a)

Wage and salary earnersas a % of Australian total (a)

TotalWages and salaries income$ billion (a)

Wages and salaries income as a % of Australian total (a)

Average Wage and salary income$

New South Wales

3 087 054

31.5

157.3

32.9

50 943

Greater Sydney

2 047 048

20.9

111.3

23.2

54 354

Rest of NSW

1 030 457

10.5

45.3

9.5

43 992

Victoria

2 431 791

24.8

115.2

24.1

47 363

Greater Melbourne

1 855 721

19.0

91.6

19.1

49 342

Rest of Victoria

569 346

5.8

23.2

4.8

40 786

Queensland

1 980 433

20.2

93.2

19.5

47 054

Greater Brisbane

986 406

10.1

48.6

10.2

49 251

Rest of Queensland

991 336

10.1

44.5

9.3

44 835

South Australia

703 825

7.2

31.1

6.5

44 141

Greater Adelaide

554 657

5.7

25.2

5.3

45 357

Rest of South Australia

148 403

1.5

5.9

1.2

39 497

Western Australia

1 057 477

10.8

56.3

11.8

53 227

Greater Perth

838 288

8.6

45.2

9.4

53 864

Rest of WA

212 857

2.2

10.7

2.2

50 235

Tasmania

218 784

2.2

9.1

1.9

41 673

Greater Hobart

97 171

1.0

4.3

0.8

43 863

Rest of Tasmania

121 168

1.2

4.8

1.0

39 898

Northern Territory

98 940

1.0

5.0

1.0

50 746

Greater Darwin

61 312

0.6

3.3

0.7

53 055

Rest of NT

24 769

0.3

1.2

0.3

46 606

Australian Capital Territory

189 089

1.9

10.9

2.3

57 749

Australia (b)

9 787 143

100.0

478.7

100.0

48 907

(a) State and territory totals do not match the sum of their components due to the inclusion of 'region unknown' and rounding.(b) Totals for Australia include data for Wage and salary earners from the Other Territories and region/s unknown.

In Australia in 2009-10,the annual average Wage and salary income for persons was $48,907. Males recorded a higher average ($58,813) than females ($38,255). This difference held for all jurisdictions. For example, in New South Wales, the averages were $60,731 for males and $40,333 for females, while in Tasmania, the corresponding levels were $49,178 and $33,882 respectively. Similarly, this difference held for Greater capital city regions and the Rest of state/territory, as shown by Table 2 below. For example, males in Queensland recorded average Wage and salary incomes of $58,860 in Greater Brisbane and $54,722 in the Rest of Queensland, while the corresponding regional levels for females were $39,080 and $34,221 respectively.

A number of factors may be influencing the lower average Wage and salary income levels observed for females across all regions. For example, greater female participation in part-time work or fewer females in higher paid management positions. While the occupations of females can be analysed using this data source, other ABS data sources can be used to analyse hours of work and earnings. For more information, see Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0) and Average Weekly Earnings, Australia (cat. no. 6302.0)

Table 2. AVERAGE WAGE AND SALARY INCOME BY SEX AND SELECTED AGE GROUPS, AUSTRALIA, 2009-10

Region

Males15-34 years

Females15-34 years

Persons15-34 years

MalesTotal (a)

FemalesTotal (a)

PersonsTotal (a)

$

$

$

$

$

$

New South Wales

43 451

33 835

38 846

60 731

40 333

50943

Greater Sydney

44 644

36 275

40 618

64 545

43244

54354

Rest of NSW

40 766

28 202

34 805

52 818

34563

43992

Victoria

40 931

32 384

36 795

56 642

37 434

47 363

Greater Melbourne

41 766

33 782

37 892

58 891

39 103

49 342

Rest of Victoria

37 841

27 143

32 709

49 040

32 036

40 786

Queensland

42 809

31 232

37 226

56 803

36 654

47 054

Greater Brisbane

42 503

33 107

37 933

58 860

39 080

49 251

Rest of Queensland

43 142

29 196

36 471

54 722

34 221

44 835

South Australia

39 218

30 034

34 797

52 350

35 525

44 141

Greater Adelaide

39 415

30 924

35 286

53 662

36 771

45 357

Rest of South Australia

38 401

26 094

32 733

47 421

30 722

39 497

Western Australia

49 255

32 998

41 586

67 199

37 621

53 227

Greater Perth

48 478

33 555

41 408

67 789

38 474

53 864

Rest of WA

52 383

30 536

42 239

64 240

34 104

50 235

Tasmania

37 203

27 733

32 650

49 178

33 882

41 673

Greater Hobart

37 208

29 613

33 447

51 391

36 467

43 863

Rest of Tasmania

37 228

26 010

31 974

47 471

31 681

39 898

Northern Territory

45 648

34 945

40 563

58 077

42 689

50 746

Greater Darwin

47 842

36 880

42 739

60 652

44 506

53 055

Rest of NT

41 290

31 601

36 478

53 350

39 518

46 606

Australian Capital Territory

46 418

39 974

43 218

65 808

49 683

57 749

Australia (a)

42 964

32 547

37 956

58 813

38 255

48 907

(a) All Wage and salary earners aged 15 years and over.(a) Includes region 'unknown' and Other territories.

As Table 2 (above) shows, younger people had lower annual average Wage and salary income levels. For Australia, persons aged 15-34 recorded an average of $37,956 compared with the overall (all people aged 15 and over) level of $48,907.

Younger people in the Australian Capital Territory ($43,218) and Western Australia ($41,586) recorded the highest average Wage and salary incomes. Conversely, Tasmania and South Australia had the lowest averages for 15-34 year olds.

Males aged 15-34 years in the Rest of Western Australia recorded the highest average Wage and salary income ($52,383).

Table 2 indicates that there were no States or territories where people aged 15-34 recorded higher average Wage and salary incomes outside of the capital city region.

In Australia in 2009-10, Managers recorded the highest average Wage and salary income of $75,749, followed by Professionals ($66,196) and Technicians and Trades Workers ($51,835). Table 3 below shows this ranking order held across all states and territories, and for all Greater capital city statistical areas and beyond. There was one exception: in the Australian Capital Territory, Clerical and Administrative Workers were ranked third.

Of all occupations, Sales workers had the lowest Wage and salary income with a national average of $29,710 - and this varied from $31,847 (highest average) in the Northern Territory down to $26,573 (lowest average) in Tasmania.

As Table 3 shows, the highest average Wage and salary incomes for Technicians and Trades Workers, Machinery Operators and Drivers, and Labourers were recorded in Western Australia. Moreover, people working in these occupations outside of Perth recorded higher incomes on average than those working in the capital city, which is the reverse of the general pattern (of higher incomes in metropolitan regions). This result may reflect the higher wages offered for work in mining and related building activity in rural and remote Western Australia.

Table 3. AVERAGE WAGE AND SALARY INCOME BY OCCUPATION, AUSTRALIA, 2009-10

Region

Managers

Profession-als

Technic-iansand TradesWorkers

Community andPersonalServicesWorkers

ClericalandAdmin-istrative Workers

Sales Workers

Machinery Operatorsand Drivers

Labourers

Total

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

New South Wales

82 116

68 968

49 587

34 414

41 215

30 758

50 579

31 032

50 943

Greater Sydney

88 918

72 320

49 032

34 878

43 284

33 174

46 179

31 106

54 354

Rest of NSW

61 876

60 145

50 519

33 713

36 468

26 507

56 883

31 021

43 992

Victoria

74 169

62 035

48 604

31 915

39 716

29 907

45 969

31 875

47 363

Greater Melbourne

78 436

64 196

48 732

32 071

41 057

31 108

45 092

32 015

49 342

Rest of Victoria

55 971

53 258

48 252

31 416

34 569

25 969

48 189

31 629

40 786

Queensland

68 023

66 373

53 382

32 556

38 754

28 913

54 422

31 868

47 054

Greater Brisbane

75 331

69 283

51 404

32 884

41 129

30 063

46 551

31 768

49 251

Rest of Queensland

59 769

62 407

54 998

32 245

36 024

27 870

60 544

31 953

44 835

South Australia

66 168

60 785

48 247

32 880

39 106

27 708

46 877

29 999

44 141

Greater Adelaide

68 939

62 100

47 899

33 388

40 077

28 333

44 742

29 743

45 357

Rest of South Australia

53 518

52 987

49 404

31 003

34 261

25 320

51 842

30 505

39 497

Western Australia

79 151

72 099

63 276

33 500

41 558

30 336

63 142

36 322

53 227

Greater Perth

82 677

73 558

61 422

33 636

42 238

30 723

59 555

35 993

53 864

Rest of WA

62 088

62 928

69 377

32 948

37 967

28 472

71 278

36 706

50 235

Tasmania

59 103

59 469

46 061

31 515

36 584

26 573

45 308

29 893

41 673

Greater Hobart

63 407

61 526

45 497

33 244

38 585

27 361

41 424

28 576

43 863

Rest of Tasmania

54 880

57 185

46 474

30 086

34 602

25 967

46 980

30 537

39 898

Northern Territory

70 201

64 906

59 367

42 335

43 894

31 847

56 670

31 521

50 746

Greater Darwin

74 528

68 111

59 102

46 315

45 041

32 695

55 017

33 519

53 055

Rest of NT

57 423

60 830

59 528

37 981

42 097

28 883

57 228

29 612

46 606

Australian Capital Territory

88 276

70 928

50 448

36 123

50 804

26 710

44 060

28 264

57 749

Australia (a)

75 749

66 196

51 835

33 272

40 403

29 710

51 623

31 819

48 907

(a) Includes Other territories, and regions and occupations 'unknown'.

Greater Sydney provided nine out of Australia's top ten regions, in terms of having the highest average Wage and salary income. Mosman was ranked first, recording an average of $111,048, well above the national average of $48,907. Next ranked were Woollahra ($93,530), Hunters Hill - Woolwich ($91,879), Double Bay - Bellevue Hill ($91,841), Willoughby - Castle Cove - Northbridge ($91,605), Balmain ($90,548) and Lindfield - Roseville ($89,585).

City Beach ($86,612) in Greater Perth was the one Statistical area level 2 (SA2) region outside of Sydney to feature in the national, top ten listing. Map 1 shows the distribution of average Wage and salary income for all SA2s in Australia.

Map 1. AVERAGE WAGE AND SALARY INCOME - by Statistical Area Level 2, Australia, 2009-10

TOP FIVE AVERAGE WAGE AND SALARY INCOME REGIONS, BY STATE AND TERRITORY, 2009-10

NEW SOUTH WALES

The SA2 of Mosman, on Sydney's north shore, recorded the highest annual average Wage and salary income in Greater Sydney, NSW, and Australia with a value of $111,048. Greater Sydney also had next four top average income regions, all over $90 000, with Woollahra ($93,530), Hunters Hill - Woolwich ($91,879), Double Bay - Bellevue Hill ($91,841) and Willoughby - Castle Cove - Northbridge ($91,605).

The SA2 with the highest average Wage and salary income outside of the Greater Sydney area was Queanbeyan West - Jerrabomberra ($63,287) near the Australian Capital Territory border. Other SA2s with high averages in the Rest of state included Singleton ($62,975), Singleton Region ($62,571), Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff ($59,173), and Muswellbrook ($57,584). Singleton, Singleton Region and Muswellbrook are all located in the Hunter Valley region which is dominated by coal mining and power generation.

In 2009-10, 28.2% (or 146 in number) of SA2 regions in New South Wales had average Wage and salary incomes above the state average ($50,943).

Table 4. TOP AVERAGE WAGE AND SALARY INCOME REGIONS, NEW SOUTH WALES, 2009-10

In 2009-10, the inner-city SA2s of Brighton ($82,717), Toorak ($80,762), and Albert Park ($77,817) recorded Victoria’s highest average Wage and salary income. Armadale ($73,415) and Port Melbourne ($73,401) completed Greater Melbourne's top five Wage and salary income regions.

Outside of Greater Melbourne, the highest average Wage and salary incomes were recorded in the SA2s of Woodend in the Macedon Ranges ($52,375) and Traralgon in the Gippsland region ($50,540). Other areas with high average Wage and salary incomes were the SA2s of Yallourn North – Glengarry ($50,191), Newtown ($50,176) and Lara ($48,428).

In 2009-10, 35.0% (or 147 in number) of SA2s in Victoria had average Wage and salary incomes above the state level ($47,363). Of these SA2s, nine were located outside of the Greater Melbourne region.

Table 5. TOP AVERAGE WAGE AND SALARY INCOME REGIONS, VICTORIA, 2009-10

In 2009-10, the three highest average Wage and salary income SA2s in Queensland were located outside of the Greater Brisbane area - in the mining regions of Moranbah ($79,006) and Broadsound - Nebo ($72,672). Other SA2s with high averages in the Rest of state included Central Highlands - East ($67,476), Mount Isa ($60,066) and Emerald ($59,810).

The inner-city SA2 of Bulimba and the western SA2 of Fig Tree Pocket had the highest average incomes in Greater Brisbane - at $69,704 and $69,672 respectively. Brookfield - Kenmore Hills, Kenmore and Chapel Hill rounded out the top five in Greater Brisbane.

In 2009-10, 39.8% of SA2 regions (or 203 in number) in Queensland had average incomes above the state average ($47,054). Of these SA2s, 131 were located within the Greater Brisbane region.

Table 6. TOP AVERAGE WAGE AND SALARY INCOME REGIONS, QUEENSLAND, 2009-10

The inner-city SA2s of Glenside - Beaumont, and Unley - Parkside had the highest annual average Wage and salary incomes in Greater Adelaide - at $58,530 and $56,929 respectively. Toorak Gardens, Mitcham and Walkerville also had high averages within Greater Adelaide.

Roxby Downs,a mining region in the state's north, had the highest average Wage and salary income outside of the Greater Adelaide area ($71,281). It also recorded the highest average Wage and salary income in South Australia. Also prominent were the Outback SA2 ($50,344) in the north of the State, Whyalla ($49,970), Tanunda ($45,848) and Port Augusta ($45,814).

In 2009-10, 37.3% (or 60 in number) of SA2 regions in South Australia had average Wage and salary incomes above the state average ($44,141). Of these SA2s, 54 were located in the Greater Adelaide region.

Table 7. TOP AVERAGE WAGE AND SALARY INCOME REGIONS, SOUTH AUSTRALIA, 2009-10

The coastal SA2s of City Beach and Cottesloe had the highest average Wage and salary incomes in Greater Perth and Western Australia, at $86,612 and $84,413 respectively. As Table 6 shows, Nedlands - Dalkeith - Crawley, Claremont and Swanbourne - Mount Claremont rounded out the top five in Greater Perth.

Karratha, a mining centre in the Pilbara region, had the highest average outside of the Greater Perth area ($79,669) and the fourth highest average in the state. Other SA2s with high average income in the Rest of state included Port Hedland ($77,775), Ashburton ($76,965), Roebourne ($75,224) and Newman ($74,082).

In 2009-10, 37.4% (or 85 in number) of SA2 regions in Western Australia had average incomes above the state level ($53,227). Of these SA2s, 69 were located in the Greater Perth region.

Table 8. TOP AVERAGE WAGE AND SALARY INCOME REGIONS, WESTERN AUSTRALIA, 2009-10

The SA2s of Taroona - Bonnet Hill ($50,977) and Mount Nelson - Dynnyrne ($50,941), in the south of Hobart, had the two highest average Wage and salary incomes in Tasmania in 2009-10. Greater Hobart's top five was completed by Sandy Bay, West Hobart and Hobart.

Of the areas outside of Greater Hobart, the SA2s of West Coast ($47,922), Legana ($44,271) and Waverley - St Leonards ($43,221) had the highest wage and salary incomes in 2009-10. Ravenswood and Riverside, both with an average Wage and salary income of $43,220, completed the top five regions outside of Greater Hobart.

In 2009-10, 38.9% of SA2 regions (or 37 in number) in Tasmania had average incomes above the state level ($41,673). Of these, 20 were located in the Greater Hobart region.

Table 9. TOP AVERAGE WAGE AND SALARY INCOME REGIONS, TASMANIA, 2009-10

The SA2s of Ludmilla - The Narrows had the highest annual average Wage and salary income in Greater Darwin at $57,101. The following four SA2s, all close to central Darwin, also recorded high averages of similar value: Fannie Bay - The Gardens ($57,098); Larrakeyah ($57,094); Parap ($57,088); and Stuart Park ($57, 079).

Anindilyakwa (formerly Groote Eylandt) in the Gulf of Carpentaria had the highest annual average Wage and salary income outside of the Greater Darwin area ($74,405). It also recorded the highest average in the Northern Territory in 2009-10. Other SA2s (outside of Darwin) with high averages were Nhulunbuy ($59,245), East Arnhem ($59,175), Alligator ($51,853) and Larapinta ($49,024).

In 2009-10, 67.8% (or 40 in number) of SA2 regions in the Northern Territory had average Wage and salary incomes above the territory average ($50,746).

Table 10. TOP AVERAGE WAGE AND SALARY INCOME REGIONS, NORTHERN TERRITORY, 2009-10

The SA2s of Deakin ($71,957) and Yarralumla ($71,954) recorded the highest average Wage and salary income in the Australian Capital Territory in 2009-10. The SA2s of Griffith, Red Hill and Forrest rounded out the top five.

In 2009-10, 43.8% (or 43 in number) of SA2 regions in the Australian Capital Territory had average Wage and salary incomes above the territory level ($57,749).

Also notable: the Australian Capital Territory recorded the highest average Wage and salary income of all states and territories in 2009-10 ($57,749).

Table 11. TOP AVERAGE WAGE AND SALARY INCOME REGIONS, AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY, 2009-10

2009-10

Top 5 SA2s (a)

$

AustralianCapital Territory (b)

DeakinYarralumlaGriffithRed HillForrest

71 95771 95471 84271 84171 797
57 749

(a) Excludes SA2 regions with less than 100 Wage and salary earners. (b) Includes 'SA2 unknown'.

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